Band-cutter and feeder for threshing-machines.



No."787,'784. PATENTED APR. 18, 1905. H. T. & s. E. MQOORMIGK. i

BAND CUTTER AND FEEDER FOR THRESHING'MAGHINES.

APPLIOATION FILED AUG. 30,1904.

4 SHEETS-SHEET l.

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WITNESSES.

Harry T (31 "$1972 i074.

. ATTORNEYS No. 787,784. PATENTEDAPR. 18, 1905.

H. T. & S. E. MQGORMIGK. BAND CUTTER AND FEEDER FOR THRESHING MACHINES.

APPLICATION FILED AUG. 30.1904.

4 SHEETS-SHEET 2.

WITNESSES: I Inn/51mm Y flarly .Tf J1! (bi-mick t 80/771 E (@2772 1217:; MW M ATTORNEYS No. 787,784. 7 PATENTED APR. 18, 1905.

' a H. T. & s. E. MOGORMIGK. BAND CUTTER AND FEEDER FOR THRESHING MACHINES.

APPLIOATION FILED AUG. 30,1904.

' 4 SHEETS-SHEET a.

ATTORNEYS UNITED STATES Patented April is, 1905.

PATENT OFFICE.

HARRY T. McOORMICK AND SAM E. MCCORMICK, OF WINCHESTER, KENTUCKY.

BAND-CUTTER AND FEEDER FOR THRESHlNG-M ACHINES.

SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent N0. 787,784, dated April 18, 1905.

Application filed August 30, 1904. Serial No. 222,695.

T0 ctZZ whom it may concern.-

Be it known that we, HARRY T. MCCORMICK and SAM E. h/IOCORMIOK, citizens of the United States, residing at Winchester, in the county of Clark and State of Kentucky, haveinvented a new and useful Improvement in Band-Outters and Feeders for Threshing-Machines, of which the following is a specification.

Our invention is in the nature of a novel band-cutter and feeder for threshi rig-machines designed to receive the bundles of grain on wing-shaped tables projecting laterally on each side of the throat of the threshing-cylinder and to feed these bundles under cutterswhich sever the bands that bind the bundles and then discharge the severed bundles into a chute through which they are fed to the threshingcylinder.

Our invention consists in the construction and arrangement of the various parts of the device, which will first be fully described with reference to the drawings and then pointed out in the claims.

Figure 1 is a perspective view of our cutter and feeder looking down upon it from a position above the thresher. Fig. 2 is a side elevation, partly in section. Fig. 3 is an end elevation showing the left-hand feed-table in the act of being turned up into a vertical plane. Fig. 4 is a vertical longitudinal section through the feed -chute to the cylinder of the thresher, and Fig. 5 is a top plan view of the feed-chute.

In the drawings (see Figs. 1 and 2) a framework 40 41 42 is mounted in elevated position on inclined struts 43 at the feed end of the frame of the thresher Y and carries all the workingparts of our attachment. A pulley 1 (see Fig. 2) on the shaft of the threshingcylinder drives a belt 2, which in turn rotates a large band-wheel 4, carried on the end of a shaft 5, mounted in hearings in the uprights 41 of the framework. Through this shaft 5 all the upper portions of our devices are driven. The belt 2 is kept taught by a pulley 3. On each side of the frame 40 41 (see Figs. 1 and 3) is hung a folding wing-shaped feed-table 37, projecting laterally and turning about a pivotal axis m, so asto be extended in a nearly horizontal position, as shown, or be folded up into a vertical plane on each side of the machine. These wing-shaped tables have endless slatted aprons 36, that carry the bundles of grain into the middle line of the machine. In transverse position just above these feedtables are the band-cutters arranged parallel to each other and consisting each of a fingerbar 13, (see Fig. 2, which moves up and down, and a cutter-bar or sickle 12,- which reciprocates horizontally. These parts are all operated from the main drive-shaft 5 as follows, reference being had to Fig. 1: The main drive-shaft 5 has a sprocket-wheel 6, which througha chain belt7 drives a lower sprocketwheel 8 on a lower transverse shaft 9. This shaft 9 is mounted in bearings on the framework, as seen in Fig. 1, and has at its ends cranks 10, which are connected to pitmen 11, which connect with and reciprocate the sickle or cutter-bar 12. The shaft 5 has also an other sprocket-wheel 17, which through a chain belt 18 connects with a sprocket-wheel 19 on a transverse shaft 20. Another transverse shaft 21 is arranged parallel to 20 and is geared thereto by alongitudinally-arranged shaft with bevel-gears 22 and 23. On the ends of the shaft 20 and 21 are disks 16, (see Figs. 1 and 2,) having each a wrist-pin connecting with and driving the upright pitmen 14, which connect with the opposite ends of the two finger-bars 13, in which the two sickles Work. .The finger-bars 13 are provided with sleeves s, which are guided upon vertical rods 15 near each corner of the framework. By means of these devices the finger-bars are reciprocated vertically to plunge them into contact with the bundles, and at the same time the sickle is moved longitudinally to cut the bands of the bundles. Below the shaft 5 there is another shaft 29, (see Fig. 1,) which by means of its bevel-gears 27 and 28 imparts rotation to the bevel-gears 27 and 28 on longitudinal shafts 30 and 31, which bear on their outer ends sprocket-wheels 32 and 33, which by means of chain belts 34 34 (see Fig. 3,) impart rotary motion to sprocket-wheels 35 35 on the ends of the inner shafts of the slatted feeder-aprons 36 36. The shaft 29, operating these slatted aprons, is driven from the shaft 20 above by means of two stepped pulleys 24 and 26 and a belt 25, the cone-pulleys permitting a variable speed.

After the bundles of grain are fed onto the aprons 36 and pass under and have their bands cut by the sickles said out bundles are delivered in position longitudinal to the thresher into a central opening, through which they drop into a chute, in which they are agitated and shaken up to render them loose, and are then fed directly to the thresher-cylinder.

The chute referred to consists (see Figs. 2, 4, and 5) of a triangular casing 44, having on each side a flange or lip 47 along its upper horizontal edge which is supported and slides upon a horizontal rail 46 on each side suspended by hangers from the frame-bar 42. This permits this feed-chute to be run out, as shown in Fig. 2, to give access to the threshing-cylinder or be run back to connect with the thresher-casing to feed the bundles to the thresher-cylinder, as seen in Fig. 4. The 0perative mechanism of this feed-chute consists of a series of longitudinal floorsections 51 about eight and one-half inches wide, which at their outer ends are sustained by means of pins or tongues 53, protruding through holes in the end of the chute-frame and having underneath each of them a wooden yoke 50, embracing eccentrics 49 on a transverse shaft 48, which at its outer end carries a pulley 45, which is belted to and driven from one of the operating-shafts of the thresher. The eccentrics 49 are set at different angles on the shaft 48, so as to give a loosening effect to the straw before reaching the threshing-cylinder. To the lower side of the floor-sections 51 of the chute there is attached a sheet-metal apron 54, hinged to the floor-sections and overlapping a metal sheet 55, which extends from a stationary cross-bar 56 to the floor or concave of the thresher cylinder. These sheet metal parts 5 1 and 55 cause any loose grain to be carried over and into the thresher instead of dropping down through the chute.

We have shown two cutters and two feedtables, one set on each side of the machine; but it will be obvious that the attachment might be made with only one set, if desired.

It will be seen that the shafts 30 and 31 are located between and above the inner shafts of the two feed-aprons, so that the driving mechanism for the aprons is entirely out of the way of the feed-apron frames when turned into a vertical position.

With reference to the finger-bars 13 and their operating mechanism and guide-rods 15 an important result of this arrangementis as follows: When the fingers or guards of the bar come in contact with the bundle, the [ingers will hold it from slipping either way and. insure a positive shear cut of the single sickle on the band. Furthermore, when the fingers are plunged into the bundle and reach their lowest and slowest point in relation to the crank the fingers hold the upper part of the bundle while the feed-apron drags its lower opens and spreads the bundle for the threshercylinder. As the finger-bar is positively held against the drag of the bundle by the guides 15 extending down to the lowest position, it will be seen that a new and very desirable result is thus produced.

Having thus described our invention, what we claim as new, and desire to secure by Letters Patent, is

1. A cutter and feeder for feeding grainbundles to a thresher, consisting of a later-. ally-extending wing provided with an endless transversely above the feed-apron, vertical guides for the ends of the finger-bar, means for reciprocating this finger-bar vertically on its guides, a horizontally arranged sickle guided in said finger-bar and means for reciprocating it longitudinally substantially as described.

2. In a cutter and feeder for threshing-machines, the combination with the thresherframe and laterally-projecting feed-wings; of two transversely-arranged finger-bars carrying longitudinally-sliding sickles, two vertical guides for each finger-bar, two pitmen for each finger-bar, two cross-shafts having at their ends wrist-pins connecting with the pitmen, connecting mechanism for the two tially as described.

3. In a cutter and feeder for threshing-machines, the combination with the thresherfra me and laterally-projecting wings with endless feed-aprons and vertically-reciprocating finger-bars with horizontal sickles arranged above said feed-aprons; of the means for driving them, consisting of the shaft 5 with sprocket 6, the chain belt 7 the shaft 9 with sprocket 8, and cranks 10 at its ends, the pitmen 11 connecting the cranks to the sickles, the sprocket-wheel 17 on shaft 6 with chain belt 18, the cross-shafts 20 and 21, the sprocket 19 on shaft 20, the finger-bar pitmen 14. connected to the ends of the shafts 20 and 21, the shaft 29 with belt and stepped pulleys connecting it to shaft 20, the longitudinal shafts 29 and having sprockets on their other ends and chain belts connecting these sprockets to those of the feed-aprons substantially as described.

1. The combination with thelongitudinallyarranged cutter and the laterally-projecting feed-apron and. frame for supporting the cutter and feed-apron; of a chute arranged beneath the same and slideways for supporting the chute whereby it is made horizontally ad- .,iustal3le to give access to the threshing-cylinder as described.

feed-apron, a horizontal finger-bar arranged portion laterally over into the chute, and thus I shafts and gears for driving them substan- IIO 30 and 31 connected by bevel-gears to shaft 5. The combination with the longitudinallyarranged cutter and the laterally-projecting feed-apron; of ahorizontally-adjustable chute arranged beneath the same and having movable floor-sections mounted on eccentrics, each floor-section having also pendent and flexible flaps at the delivery ends, and a cross-bar with a sheet extending from beneath these flaps to the thresher-bottom substantially as described.

HARRY T. MCCORMICK. SAM E. MCCORMICK.

Witnesses:

W, O. BROOK, W. T.'POYNTER. 

